Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms on Cayuga Lake By Nathaniel Launer, Outreach Coordinator Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring Program Coordinator Community Science Institute Partnering with Communities to Protect Water
Community Science Institute Chemical Online Volunteer Monitoring Public Water Partnerships Database NY State and Monitoring EPA Partnerships Certified Lab Biological CSI’s Mission: Monitoring Partnerships CSI partners with community-based volunteer groups to better understand and protect local streams and lakes by collecting and disseminating Small scientifically credible, regulatory-quality Outreach Nonprofit and data that inform long-term, sustainable Education management strategies. 501(c)3 Initiatives www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Community Science Institute Chemical Online Volunteer Monitoring Public Water Partnerships Database NY State and Monitoring EPA Partnerships Certified Lab Biological CSI’s Mission: Monitoring Partnerships CSI partners with community-based volunteer groups to better understand and protect local streams and lakes by collecting and disseminating Small scientifically credible, regulatory-quality Outreach Nonprofit and data that inform long-term, sustainable Education management strategies. 501(c)3 Initiatives www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Community Science Institute Chemical Online Volunteer Monitoring Public Water Partnerships Database NY State and Monitoring EPA Partnerships Certified Lab Biological CSI’s Mission: Monitoring Partnerships CSI partners with community-based volunteer groups to better understand and protect local streams and lakes by collecting and disseminating Small scientifically credible, regulatory-quality Outreach Nonprofit and data that inform long-term, sustainable Education management strategies. 501(c)3 Initiatives www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Community Science Institute Chemical Online Volunteer Monitoring Public Water Partnerships Database NY State and Monitoring EPA Partnerships Certified Lab Biological CSI’s Mission: Monitoring Partnerships CSI partners with community-based volunteer groups to better understand and protect local streams and lakes by collecting and disseminating Small scientifically credible, regulatory-quality Outreach Nonprofit and data that inform long-term, sustainable Education management strategies. 501(c)3 Initiatives www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Partnerships 75 87,000 Volunteers measurements participated in of lake and the first year of stream water the HABs quality data Monitoring Program 12 + Community Over 150 Stream volunteer Monitoring Partnerships water quality monitors Identifying where water quality can Long-term improve, and datasets can where it is reveal water good quality trends The Community Science Institute Partnering with Communities to Protect Water
Community Science Institute Chemical Online Volunteer Monitoring Public Water Partnerships Database NY State and Monitoring EPA Partnerships Certified Lab Biological CSI’s Mission: Monitoring Partnerships CSI partners with community-based volunteer groups to better understand and protect local streams and lakes by collecting and disseminating Small scientifically credible, regulatory-quality Outreach Nonprofit and data that inform long-term, sustainable Education management strategies. 501(c)3 Initiatives www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
What are Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)? Commonly referred to as algae, the organisms that form these blooms are actually cyanobacteria . Cyanobacteria are a natural part of the aquatic community in lakes, ponds, and oceans around the world. Cyanobacteria produce natural chemical compounds whose purposes are poorly understood, and some of these compounds are toxic to humans and other animals. This is what makes a bloom harmful . Certain conditions can promote cyanobacteria population growth, and rapid growth can lead to the formation of a bloom. H: Harmful − Toxins, economic, aesthetic, ecological A: Algal − Freshwater HABs refer to cyanobacteria. Not true algae. B: Bloom − Proliferations of cells, dense concentrations Microscopic view of cyanobacteria Dolichospermum www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria are ancient organisms, dating back 3.5 billion years ago. - they are the oldest known oxygen producing organisms , responsible for our current oxygen rich atmosphere! There are many different taxa of cyanobacteria. Dolichospermum – Can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere into a bio-available form. Also can produce the microcystin toxin. Microcystis – Produces the toxin microcystin , for which the EPA set health advisories for drinking water and non-potable water that have been adopted by the New York State Department of Health as safe limits. Safe Drinking Water Limit – 0.3 ug/ L of microcystin Safe Recreation Limit – 4 ug/ L of microcystin www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Blooms Cyanobacteria are present in the lake as a natural part of the aquatic community. Blooms are the rapid growth of cyanobacteria populations , concentrated to a local area. The factors that promote this rapid population growth are still under study. We do know that… Cyanobacteria growth increases at higher water temperatures. High nutrient inputs, specifically phosphorus and nitrogen, have been shown to promote cyanobacteria growth. Still, calm, and stratified waters facilitate the formation of blooms. However… www.communityscience.org Paerl, H. W., & Paul, V. J. (2012). Climate change: links to global expansion info@communityscience.org of harmful cyanobacteria. Water research , 46 (5), 1349-1363.
The Role of Nutrients – A Factor we can control 350 Why focus on phosphorus? • Soluble reactive phosphorus is a decent surrogate for Average Soluble Reactive Phosphorus at Stream Mouths ( g/L) bioavailable phosphorus. 300 • Phosphorus is the limiting nutrient for the majority of freshwater autotrophs. • An overabundance of bioavailable phosphorus can lead to 250 eutrophication and has been associated with the proliferation of cyanobacteria blooms. 200 Major Findings: • SRP concentration correlates with land use type. 150 • SRP concentrations are higher in the northern half of the watershed. • 100 SRP concentration is higher under storm water conditions. 50 0 Yawger Creek Deans Creek Salmon Creek Fall Creek Six Mile Creek Baseflow SRP Stormwater SRP www.communityscience.org/database
HABs on Cayuga Lake There is little documentation of bloom reports on Cayuga Lake in the past. However… In 2014 there were only 2 suspicious bloom notifications and 1 bloom was confirmed to be cyanobacteria by the NYSDEC. In 2017 the NYSDEC made 27 suspicious bloom notifications, confirmed 9 cyanobacteria blooms, and identified 3 blooms to have high toxin levels. The Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring Program was formed. In 2018 the Cayuga Lake Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring Program documented 40 confirmed cyanobacteria blooms, 23 of which were identified to have high toxin levels. It is impossible to say how much of this increase is due to improved monitoring. Nevertheless, it appears that the frequency of blooms is increasing on Cayuga Lake. www.communityscience.org New York Departments of Environmental Conservation, Health, and Agriculture and Markets. (2018). Harmful info@communityscience.org Algal Bloom Action Plan Cayuga Lake. Retrieved from https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/113733.html#Plans
Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program The Cayuga Lake HABs Monitoring Program is operated by a consortium of three organizations: Community Science Institute (CSI), Cayuga Lake Watershed Network (CLWN), and Discover Cayuga Lake (DCL). The purpose of the program is to: 1. Provide timely information and hazard warnings to the users of Cayuga Lake 2. Develop information about the occurrence of HABs, which may be useful in future responses and long-term mitigation of cyanobacteria blooms on Cayuga Lake. The program receives no funding from the state, and is entirely supported by local municipalities, donations, and grants. www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
Volunteer Driven Program HABs Harriers attend a cyanobacteria identification and sampling training, provided by CSI and the NYSDEC prior to the monitoring season. The program works through a lake-wide network of volunteers, titled HABs Harriers, who monitor sections of the shoreline every week from July through October. If a volunteer observes a suspicious bloom, they record the location, take pictures, and collect a sample to be transported to the Community Science Institute lab for analysis. Over 75 volunteers in the first year! www.communityscience.org info@communityscience.org
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